HALO Virus 🔐 (.HALO Files) — How to Remove?

The Halo virus falls under the ransomware type of infection. Malware of such sort encrypts all the data on your computer (images, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its specific extension to every file, creating the !_INFO.txt files in every folder which contains the encrypted files.

It is better to prevent, than repair and repent!

When we talk about the intrusion of unfamiliar programs into your computer’s work, the proverb “Forewarned is forearmed” describes the situation as accurately as possible. Gridinsoft Anti-Malware is exactly the tool that is always useful to have in your armory: fast, efficient, up-to-date. It is appropriate to use it as an emergency help at the slightest suspicion of infection.

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What is known about the Halo virus?

Halo will add its specific .halo extension to every file’s name. For example, a file named “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.halo”. In the same manner, the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will end up as “table.xlsx.halo”, and so on.

In every directory with the encrypted files, a !_INFO.txt text document will appear. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can obtain this decryptor after contacting 360recover@gmail.com by email. That is how they do it.

Halo Overview:

The !_INFO.txt document coming in package with the Halo malware states the following:

WARNING! YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED!
Don’t worry, your files are safe, provided that you are willing to pay the ransom.
Any forced shutdown or attempts to restore your files with the thrid-party software will be damage your files permanently!
Do not rename your files. It will damage it.


The only way to decrypt your files safely is to buy the special decryption software from us.


Before paying you can send us up to 2 files for free decryption as guarantee. No database files for test.
Send pictures, text, doc files. (files no more than 1mb)


You can contact us with the following email


360recover@gmail.com
360support@cock.li


Send us this ID or this file in first email


ID: -

In the picture below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Halo looks like. Each filename has the “.halo” extension added to it.

That is how encrypted “.halo” files look.

How did my machine catch Halo ransomware?

There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most exploited ways for hackers to have the Halo virus settled in your system. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer networks.

• If you open your inbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services companies, postal agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, be wary of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a ransomware item enclosed in them. So it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan virus model. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your PC disguised as something else. For instance, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some software. However, what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful program that encodes your data. As the update wizard can have any name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the source of the files you’re downloading. The optimal way is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like torrents or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Internet. You can never guess what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your files, the Halo virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Halo with Gridinsoft Anti-Malware

We have also been using this software on our systems ever since, and it has always been successful in detecting viruses. It has blocked the most common Ransomware as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove Halo as well as other malware hiding on your computer.

To use Gridinsoft for remove malicious threats, follow the steps below:

1. Begin by downloading Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, accessible via the blue button below or directly from the official website gridinsoft.com.

2.Once the Gridinsoft setup file (setup-gridinsoft-fix.exe) is downloaded, execute it by clicking on the file.

3.Follow the installation setup wizard's instructions diligently.

4. Access the "Scan Tab" on the application's start screen and launch a comprehensive "Full Scan" to examine your entire computer. This inclusive scan encompasses the memory, startup items, the registry, services, drivers, and all files, ensuring that it detects malware hidden in all possible locations.

Be patient, as the scan duration depends on the number of files and your computer's hardware capabilities. Use this time to relax or attend to other tasks.

5. Upon completion, Anti-Malware will present a detailed report containing all the detected malicious items and threats on your PC.

6. Select all the identified items from the report and confidently click the "Clean Now" button. This action will safely remove the malicious files from your computer, transferring them to the secure quarantine zone of the anti-malware program to prevent any further harmful actions.

8. If prompted, restart your computer to finalize the full system scan procedure. This step is crucial to ensure thorough removal of any remaining threats. After the restart, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware will open and display a message confirming the completion of the scan.

Remember Gridinsoft offers a 6-day free trial. This means you can take advantage of the trial period at no cost to experience the full benefits of the software and prevent any future malware infections on your system. Embrace this opportunity to fortify your computer's security without any financial commitment.

Trojan Killer for “Halo” removal on locked PC

In situations where it becomes impossible to download antivirus applications directly onto the infected computer due to malware blocking access to websites, an alternative solution is to utilize the Trojan Killer application.

There is a really little number of security tools that are able to be set up on the USB drives, and antiviruses that can do so in most cases require to obtain quite an expensive license. For this instance, I can recommend you to use another solution of GridinSoft - Trojan Killer Portable. It has a 14-days cost-free trial mode that offers the entire features of the paid version. This term will definitely be 100% enough to wipe malware out.

Trojan Killer is a valuable tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, helping you to effectively remove malware from infected computers. Now, we will walk you through the process of using Trojan Killer from a USB flash drive to scan and remove malware on an infected PC. Remember, always obtain permission to scan and remove malware from a computer that you do not own.

Step 1: Download & Install Trojan Killer on a Clean Computer:

1. Go to the official GridinSoft website (gridinsoft.com) and download Trojan Killer to a computer that is not infected.

2. Insert a USB flash drive into this computer.

3. Install Trojan Killer to the "removable drive" following the on-screen instructions.

4. Once the installation is complete, launch Trojan Killer.

Step 2: Update Signature Databases:

5. After launching Trojan Killer, ensure that your computer is connected to the Internet.

6. Click "Update" icon to download the latest signature databases, which will ensure the tool can detect the most recent threats.

Step 3: Scan the Infected PC:

7. Safely eject the USB flash drive from the clean computer.

8. Boot the infected computer to the Safe Mode.

9. Insert the USB flash drive.

10. Run tk.exe

11. Once the program is open, click on "Full Scan" to begin the malware scanning process.

Step 4: Remove Found Threats:

12. After the scan is complete, Trojan Killer will display a list of detected threats.

13. Click on "Cure PC!" to remove the identified malware from the infected PC.

14. Follow any additional on-screen prompts to complete the removal process.

Step 5: Restart Your Computer:

15. Once the threats are removed, click on "Restart PC" to reboot your computer.

16. Remove the USB flash drive from the infected computer.

Congratulations on effectively removing Halo and the concealed threats from your computer! You can now have peace of mind, knowing that they won't resurface again. Thanks to Gridinsoft's capabilities and commitment to cybersecurity, your system is now protected.

Often racketeers would unblock few of your files so you know that they do have the decryption program. As Halo virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software designers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. However, the anti-ransomware instruments are frequently upgraded, so the solution may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the evildoers do the job of encrypting someone’s essential files, the desperate person will most likely comply with their demands. Despite that, paying a ransom gives no guarantee that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about hackers just vanishing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.

The best solution against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud disk or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be insufficient. Your most important thing could be that one you were working upon when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the OS restoration.

Halo is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. Examples of those are Itqw, Ithh, Itrz, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Halo are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: documents become blocked, their extensions changed, ransom notes appear in each directory containing encoded files.

Some fortunate people were able to decode the blocked files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-ransomware specialists. Sometimes the hackers mistakenly send the decryption key to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an epic fail allows the user to restore the files. But of course, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a tamperers’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How do I avoid ransomware injection?

Halo ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, neither does any similar malware.

You can protect yourself from its attack taking several easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (how can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the questionable letter carefully. A hoax letter will surely contain a mistake.
• Never use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often spreaded as an element of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are very hard to tell from reliable ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you seek. Try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such software.
• And to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful defense for your system.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 How can I open “.halo” files?Are the “.halo” files accessible?

Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.halo” files first. Then you will be able to open them.

🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.halo” files ASAP. How can I do that?

If the “.halo” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. Otherwise, you might try to employ System Restore. The only question is whether you have saved any Restore Points that would be helpful now. The rest of the methods require patience.

🤔 Will GridinSoft Anti-Malware remove all the encrypted files alongside the Halo virus?

Absolutely not! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with active threats. The virus that has infected your computer is must be still functional and it scans your system every so often to encode any new files you might create on your computer after the initial attack. As it has already been said, the Halo malware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide hackers with easy access to your system after some time.

🤔 What to do if the Halo ransomware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.

If that happened, you need to prepare a memory stick with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or imported into your PC. To suppress this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential applications to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Many of the encrypted files might still be at your disposal

• If you sent or received your critical files via email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to give those images back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files as well.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, phone, memory stick, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery programs¹ to get your lost data back since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but remember: you won’t be able to do it before you remove the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

1. Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.